Photos have begun to surface of Taiwan's first Starbucks built from shipping containers in Hualien

TAIPEI (Taiwan News) -- Images have surfaced on social media of a new container-built Starbucks, the first of its kind in Taiwan, taking shape at a mall being constructed in Hualien County in eastern Taiwan.

Taiwanese fans of Starbucks have started to post photos of a cluster of shipping containers stacked on top of each other a bit like Jenga blocks, with the Starbucks logo clearly present on one of the massive metallic boxes. The structure is part of a new mall being built in Huilanwan area in Ji'an Township of Hualien County, which will also include an IMAX cinema, the first in eastern Taiwan.

Starbucks in recent years has been building some of its stores using shipping containers, not only due to their low cost and to reduce waste, but also because of their streamlined appearance. The Hualien branch appears to be much larger than its Seattle counterpart, which made use of four containers.